You may know the answers to these questions off the top of your head. If you are like most people, however, you find answers to tough questions like these by searching the Internet, visiting the library, or asking others for information. To put it simply, you perform research.<\/p>\n
Whether you are a scientist, an artist, a paralegal, or a parent, you probably perform research in your everyday life. When your boss, your instructor, or a family member asks you a question that you do not know the answer to, you locate relevant information, analyze your findings, and share your results. Locating, analyzing, and sharing information are key steps in the research process, and in this chapter, you will learn more about each step. By developing your research writing skills, you will prepare yourself to answer any question no matter how challenging.<\/p>\n\n
Reasons for Research<\/h1>\n
When you perform research, you are essentially trying to solve a mystery\u2014you want to know how something works or why something happened. In other words, you want to answer a question that you (and other people) have about the world. This is one of the most basic reasons for performing research.<\/p>\n
But the research process does not end when you have solved your mystery. Imagine what would happen if a detective collected enough evidence to solve a criminal case, but she never shared her solution with the authorities. Presenting what you have learned from research can be just as important as performing the research. Research results can be presented in a variety of ways, but one of the most popular\u2014and effective\u2014presentation forms is the research paper. A research paper presents an original thesis, or purpose statement, about a topic and develops that thesis with information gathered from a variety of sources.<\/p>\n
If you are curious about the possibility of life on Mars, for example, you might choose to research the topic. What will you do, though, when your research is complete? You will need a way to put your thoughts together in a logical, coherent manner. You may want to use the facts you have learned to create a narrative or to support an argument. And you may want to show the results of your research to your friends, your teachers, or even the editors of magazines and journals. Writing a research paper is an ideal way to organize thoughts, craft narratives or make arguments based on research, and share your newfound knowledge with the world.<\/p>\n\n
Exercise 16.1<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n
Research Writing and the Academic Paper<\/h1>\n
No matter what field of study you are interested in, you will most likely be asked to write a research paper during your academic career. For example, a student in an art history course might write a research paper about an artist\u2019s work. Similarly, a student in a psychology course might write a research paper about current findings in childhood development.<\/p>\n
Having to write a research paper may feel intimidating at first. After all, researching and writing a long paper requires a lot of time, effort, and organization. However, writing a research paper can also be a great opportunity to explore a topic that is particularly interesting to you. The research process allows you to gain expertise on a topic of your choice, and the writing process helps you remember what you have learned and understand it on a deeper level.<\/p>\n\n
Writing in Process<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n
- \n \t
- Medical laboratory technician<\/li>\n \t
- Small business owner<\/li>\n \t
- Information technology professional<\/li>\n \t
- Freelance magazine writer<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nA medical laboratory technician or information technology professional might do research to learn about the latest technological developments in either of these fields. A small business owner might conduct research to learn about the latest trends in his or her industry. A freelance magazine writer may need to research a given topic to write an informed, up-to-date article.\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n Exercise 16.2<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n
\n\nThink about the job of your dreams. How might you use research writing skills to perform that job? Create a list of ways in which strong researching, organizing, writing, and critical thinking skills could help you succeed at your dream job. How might these skills help you obtain that job?\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nSteps of the Research Writing Process<\/h1>\n
How does a research paper grow from a folder of brainstormed notes to a polished final draft? No two projects are identical, but most projects follow a series of six basic steps.<\/p>\n
These are the steps in the research writing process:<\/p>\n\n
- \n \t
- Choose a topic.<\/li>\n \t
- Plan and schedule time to research and write.<\/li>\n \t
- Conduct research.<\/li>\n \t
- Organize research and ideas.<\/li>\n \t
- Draft your paper.<\/li>\n \t
- Revise and edit your paper.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Each of these steps will be discussed in more detail later in this chapter. For now, though, we will take a brief look at what each step involves.<\/p>\n\n
\nStep 1: Choosing a Topic<\/h2>\n
As you may recall from \"The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?\", to narrow the focus of your topic, you may try freewriting exercises, such as brainstorming. You may also need to ask a specific research question\u2014a broad, open-ended question that will guide your research\u2014as well as propose a possible answer, or a working thesis. You may use your research question and your working thesis to create a research proposal. In a research proposal, you present your main research question, any related subquestions you plan to explore, and your working thesis.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n
\nStep 2: Planning and Scheduling<\/h2>\n
Before you start researching your topic, take time to plan your researching and writing schedule. Research projects can take days, weeks, or even months to complete. Creating a schedule is a good way to ensure that you do not end up being overwhelmed by all the work you have to do as the deadline approaches.<\/p>\n
During this step of the process, it is also a good idea to plan the resources and organizational tools you will use to keep yourself on track throughout the project. Flowcharts, calendars, and checklists can all help you stick to your schedule. See \"Writing from Research: What Will I Learn?\", \"Steps in Developing a Research Proposal\" for an example of a research schedule.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n
\nStep 3: Conducting Research<\/h2>\n
When going about your research, you will likely use a variety of sources\u2014anything from books and periodicals to video presentations and in-person interviews.<\/p>\n
Your sources will include both primary sources and secondary sources. Primary sources provide firsthand information or raw data. For example, surveys, in-person interviews, and historical documents are primary sources. Secondary sources, such as biographies, literary reviews, or magazine articles, include some analysis or interpretation of the information presented. As you conduct research, you will take detailed, careful notes about your discoveries. You will also evaluate the reliability of each source you find.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n
\nStep 4: Organizing Research and the Writer\u2019s Ideas<\/h2>\n
When your research is complete, you will organize your findings and decide which sources to cite in your paper. You will also have an opportunity to evaluate the evidence you have collected and determine whether it supports your thesis, or the focus of your paper. You may decide to adjust your thesis or conduct additional research to ensure that your thesis is well supported.<\/p>\n\n
TIP:<\/strong> Remember, your working thesis is not set in stone. You can and should change your working thesis throughout the research writing process if the evidence you find does not support your original thesis. Never try to force evidence to fit your argument. For example, your working thesis is \"Mars cannot support life-forms.\" Yet, a week into researching your topic, you find an article in the New York Times<\/em> detailing new findings of bacteria under the Martian surface. Instead of trying to argue that bacteria are not life forms, you might instead alter your thesis to \"Mars cannot support complex life-forms.\"<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nStep 5: Drafting Your Paper<\/h2>\n
Now you are ready to combine your research findings with your critical analysis of the results in a rough draft. You will incorporate source materials into your paper and discuss each source thoughtfully in relation to your thesis or purpose statement.<\/p>\n
When you cite your reference sources, it is important to pay close attention to standard conventions for citing sources in order to avoid plagiarism, or the practice of using someone else\u2019s words without acknowledging the source. Later in this chapter, you will learn how to incorporate sources in your paper and avoid some of the most common pitfalls of attributing information.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n
\nStep 6: Revising and Editing Your Paper<\/h2>\n
In the final step of the research writing process, you will revise and polish your paper. You might reorganize your paper\u2019s structure or revise for unity and cohesion, ensuring that each element in your paper flows into the next logically and naturally. You will also make sure that your paper uses an appropriate and consistent tone.<\/p>\n
Once you feel confident in the strength of your writing, you will edit your paper for proper spelling, grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and formatting. When you complete this final step, you will have transformed a simple idea or question into a thoroughly researched and well-written paper you can be proud of!<\/p>\n\n
\n Exercise 16.3<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n
\n\nReview the steps of the research writing process. Then answer the questions on your own sheet of paper.\n- \n \t
- In which steps of the research writing process are you allowed to change your thesis?<\/li>\n \t
- In step 2, which types of information should you include in your project schedule?<\/li>\n \t
- What might happen if you eliminated step 4 from the research writing process?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Text Attributions<\/h3>\n
- \n \t
- This chapter was adapted from \"The Purpose of Research Writing<\/span><\/a>\" in\u00a0Writing for Success\u00a0<\/em>by a publisher who has requested that they and the original author not receive attribution (and republished by University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing). Adapted by Allison Kilgannon. \u00a0CC BY-NC-SA<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Media Attributions<\/h3>\n
- \n \t
- Figure 16.1 \"Great Wall\" \u00a9 MDelli is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","rendered":"
![\"the](\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/accessibilitytoolkit\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/385\/2020\/02\/great-wall-300x200.jpg\")
Figure 16.1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n - \n
- Why was the Great Wall of China built?<\/li>\n
- What have scientists learned about the possibility of life on Mars?<\/li>\n
- What roles did women play in the American Revolution?<\/li>\n
- How does the human brain create, store, and retrieve memories?<\/li>\n
- Who invented the game of football, and how has it changed over the years?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
You may know the answers to these questions off the top of your head. If you are like most people, however, you find answers to tough questions like these by searching the Internet, visiting the library, or asking others for information. To put it simply, you perform research.<\/p>\n
Whether you are a scientist, an artist, a paralegal, or a parent, you probably perform research in your everyday life. When your boss, your instructor, or a family member asks you a question that you do not know the answer to, you locate relevant information, analyze your findings, and share your results. Locating, analyzing, and sharing information are key steps in the research process, and in this chapter, you will learn more about each step. By developing your research writing skills, you will prepare yourself to answer any question no matter how challenging.<\/p>\n
\nReasons for Research<\/h1>\n
When you perform research, you are essentially trying to solve a mystery\u2014you want to know how something works or why something happened. In other words, you want to answer a question that you (and other people) have about the world. This is one of the most basic reasons for performing research.<\/p>\n
But the research process does not end when you have solved your mystery. Imagine what would happen if a detective collected enough evidence to solve a criminal case, but she never shared her solution with the authorities. Presenting what you have learned from research can be just as important as performing the research. Research results can be presented in a variety of ways, but one of the most popular\u2014and effective\u2014presentation forms is the research paper. A research paper presents an original thesis, or purpose statement, about a topic and develops that thesis with information gathered from a variety of sources.<\/p>\n
If you are curious about the possibility of life on Mars, for example, you might choose to research the topic. What will you do, though, when your research is complete? You will need a way to put your thoughts together in a logical, coherent manner. You may want to use the facts you have learned to create a narrative or to support an argument. And you may want to show the results of your research to your friends, your teachers, or even the editors of magazines and journals. Writing a research paper is an ideal way to organize thoughts, craft narratives or make arguments based on research, and share your newfound knowledge with the world.<\/p>\n
\n\n Exercise 16.1<\/p>\n<\/header>\n
\nWrite a paragraph about a time when you used research in your everyday life. Did you look for the cheapest way to travel from Houston to Denver? Did you search for a way to remove gum from the bottom of your shoe? In your paragraph, explain what you wanted to research, how you performed the research, and what you learned as a result.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nResearch Writing and the Academic Paper<\/h1>\n
No matter what field of study you are interested in, you will most likely be asked to write a research paper during your academic career. For example, a student in an art history course might write a research paper about an artist\u2019s work. Similarly, a student in a psychology course might write a research paper about current findings in childhood development.<\/p>\n
Having to write a research paper may feel intimidating at first. After all, researching and writing a long paper requires a lot of time, effort, and organization. However, writing a research paper can also be a great opportunity to explore a topic that is particularly interesting to you. The research process allows you to gain expertise on a topic of your choice, and the writing process helps you remember what you have learned and understand it on a deeper level.<\/p>\n
\n\n Writing in Process<\/p>\n<\/header>\n
\nTake a few minutes to think about each of the following careers. How might each of these professionals use researching and research writing skills on the job?<\/p>\n
- \n
- Medical laboratory technician<\/li>\n
- Small business owner<\/li>\n
- Information technology professional<\/li>\n
- Freelance magazine writer<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
A medical laboratory technician or information technology professional might do research to learn about the latest technological developments in either of these fields. A small business owner might conduct research to learn about the latest trends in his or her industry. A freelance magazine writer may need to research a given topic to write an informed, up-to-date article.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n Exercise 16.2<\/p>\n<\/header>\n
\nThink about the job of your dreams. How might you use research writing skills to perform that job? Create a list of ways in which strong researching, organizing, writing, and critical thinking skills could help you succeed at your dream job. How might these skills help you obtain that job?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nSteps of the Research Writing Process<\/h1>\n
How does a research paper grow from a folder of brainstormed notes to a polished final draft? No two projects are identical, but most projects follow a series of six basic steps.<\/p>\n
These are the steps in the research writing process:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Choose a topic.<\/li>\n
- Plan and schedule time to research and write.<\/li>\n
- Conduct research.<\/li>\n
- Organize research and ideas.<\/li>\n
- Draft your paper.<\/li>\n
- Revise and edit your paper.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Each of these steps will be discussed in more detail later in this chapter. For now, though, we will take a brief look at what each step involves.<\/p>\n
\nStep 1: Choosing a Topic<\/h2>\n
As you may recall from “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?”, to narrow the focus of your topic, you may try freewriting exercises, such as brainstorming. You may also need to ask a specific research question\u2014a broad, open-ended question that will guide your research\u2014as well as propose a possible answer, or a working thesis. You may use your research question and your working thesis to create a research proposal. In a research proposal, you present your main research question, any related subquestions you plan to explore, and your working thesis.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nStep 2: Planning and Scheduling<\/h2>\n
Before you start researching your topic, take time to plan your researching and writing schedule. Research projects can take days, weeks, or even months to complete. Creating a schedule is a good way to ensure that you do not end up being overwhelmed by all the work you have to do as the deadline approaches.<\/p>\n
During this step of the process, it is also a good idea to plan the resources and organizational tools you will use to keep yourself on track throughout the project. Flowcharts, calendars, and checklists can all help you stick to your schedule. See “Writing from Research: What Will I Learn?”, “Steps in Developing a Research Proposal” for an example of a research schedule.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nStep 3: Conducting Research<\/h2>\n
When going about your research, you will likely use a variety of sources\u2014anything from books and periodicals to video presentations and in-person interviews.<\/p>\n
Your sources will include both primary sources and secondary sources. Primary sources provide firsthand information or raw data. For example, surveys, in-person interviews, and historical documents are primary sources. Secondary sources, such as biographies, literary reviews, or magazine articles, include some analysis or interpretation of the information presented. As you conduct research, you will take detailed, careful notes about your discoveries. You will also evaluate the reliability of each source you find.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nStep 4: Organizing Research and the Writer\u2019s Ideas<\/h2>\n
When your research is complete, you will organize your findings and decide which sources to cite in your paper. You will also have an opportunity to evaluate the evidence you have collected and determine whether it supports your thesis, or the focus of your paper. You may decide to adjust your thesis or conduct additional research to ensure that your thesis is well supported.<\/p>\n
TIP:<\/strong> Remember, your working thesis is not set in stone. You can and should change your working thesis throughout the research writing process if the evidence you find does not support your original thesis. Never try to force evidence to fit your argument. For example, your working thesis is “Mars cannot support life-forms.” Yet, a week into researching your topic, you find an article in the New York Times<\/em> detailing new findings of bacteria under the Martian surface. Instead of trying to argue that bacteria are not life forms, you might instead alter your thesis to “Mars cannot support complex life-forms.”<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nStep 5: Drafting Your Paper<\/h2>\n
Now you are ready to combine your research findings with your critical analysis of the results in a rough draft. You will incorporate source materials into your paper and discuss each source thoughtfully in relation to your thesis or purpose statement.<\/p>\n
When you cite your reference sources, it is important to pay close attention to standard conventions for citing sources in order to avoid plagiarism, or the practice of using someone else\u2019s words without acknowledging the source. Later in this chapter, you will learn how to incorporate sources in your paper and avoid some of the most common pitfalls of attributing information.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nStep 6: Revising and Editing Your Paper<\/h2>\n
In the final step of the research writing process, you will revise and polish your paper. You might reorganize your paper\u2019s structure or revise for unity and cohesion, ensuring that each element in your paper flows into the next logically and naturally. You will also make sure that your paper uses an appropriate and consistent tone.<\/p>\n
Once you feel confident in the strength of your writing, you will edit your paper for proper spelling, grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and formatting. When you complete this final step, you will have transformed a simple idea or question into a thoroughly researched and well-written paper you can be proud of!<\/p>\n
\n\n Exercise 16.3<\/p>\n<\/header>\n
\nReview the steps of the research writing process. Then answer the questions on your own sheet of paper.<\/p>\n
- \n
- In which steps of the research writing process are you allowed to change your thesis?<\/li>\n
- In step 2, which types of information should you include in your project schedule?<\/li>\n
- What might happen if you eliminated step 4 from the research writing process?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Text Attributions<\/h3>\n
- \n
- This chapter was adapted from “The Purpose of Research Writing<\/span><\/a>” in\u00a0Writing for Success\u00a0<\/em>by a publisher who has requested that they and the original author not receive attribution (and republished by University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing). Adapted by Allison Kilgannon. \u00a0CC BY-NC-SA<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Media Attributions<\/h3>\n
- This chapter was adapted from “The Purpose of Research Writing<\/span><\/a>” in\u00a0Writing for Success\u00a0<\/em>by a publisher who has requested that they and the original author not receive attribution (and republished by University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing). Adapted by Allison Kilgannon. \u00a0CC BY-NC-SA<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Figure 16.1 \"Great Wall\" \u00a9 MDelli is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","rendered":"
- This chapter was adapted from \"The Purpose of Research Writing<\/span><\/a>\" in\u00a0Writing for Success\u00a0<\/em>by a publisher who has requested that they and the original author not receive attribution (and republished by University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing). Adapted by Allison Kilgannon. \u00a0CC BY-NC-SA<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n